The America Syndrome: Apocalypse, War, and Our Call to Greatness

In this meditation on history, Hartmann (Reproductive Rights and Wrongs), professor emerita of development studies at Hampshire College, argues that Americans have always had their minds on apocalypse. This has led to a preponderance of violence via an “America syndrome” composed of “Seven Deadly Synergies,” including the hubris of American exceptionalism, a belief in manifest destiny, and large doses of paranoia and anxiety. The first two chapters provide a brisk overview of the syndrome, beginning with the Pilgrims, Puritans, and other religious-minded groups who traveled to North America in the 17th century, convinced they were God’s chosen people. Later, the Shakers, Owenites, Transcendentalists, and Oneidans experimented with utopian communities to create a perfect American society. They all failed. “People aren’t perfect,” Hartmann reminds readers. “They never have been, and never will be.” Yet communes made a comeback in the 1960s, in a briefer but equally unsuccessful attempt to achieve perfection following the dawn of the nuclear age. The second half of the book, which incorporates Hartmann’s reminiscences of her own life, ranges widely across numerous fields, including psychology, Malthusian theory, and climate science, to show how apocalyptic fears affect modern life. Disappointingly, these disparate discussions aren’t wrapped up with a clear conclusion, only a generic hope for a better future. (May)